Jan. 11, 2010

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV Athletics Department has announced that its men's basketball game against Utah on Saturday, Jan. 16, which starts at 7 p.m., will be the third annual Kids' Night at the Thomas & Mack Center with a kids' festival taking place prior to the game in the Cox Pavilion.

The festival will begin at 5 p.m. and is free to anyone with a game ticket. It will feature games, giveaways and more. Runnin' Rebel players Carlos Lopez and Quintrell Thomas will be on hand at different periods during the festival to sign autographs for kids. Halftime of the Utah-UNLV game will feature the popular mascot game, hosted by UNLV's Hey Reb.

Specifics for the kids' festival will include a large bounce house, a laser tag area, music, face painting provided by Trader Joe's, a photo booth where kids can get a trading card picture done, courtesy of Official UNLV Kids Club sponsor NSR/Rapport, free ice cream courtesy of Official UNLV Kids Club sponsor Meadow Gold and a poster-making station to make posters for the game. Additionally, the UNLV baseball and softball teams will be on hand and there will be raffles and prizes for kids throughout the event.

The mascots scheduled to appear are McDonalds' Ronald McDonald, UNLVTickets.com's Seemore, Las Vegas 51s' Cosmo, Nevada Water Authority's Deputy Drip, Fox 5's Rusty and more. Local radio personality Chet Buchanan will serve as the festival's emcee.

UNLV, which is 13-3 overall on the season, is coming off of Saturday's 74-62 win at then-No. 15/14 New Mexico, and will be playing just its third true home game in a span of 46 days on Wednesday, Jan. 13 against San Diego State, before it plays host to Utah on Saturday. Tickets for both games start at just $10 and are available by visiting UNLVTickets.com or calling 702-739-FANS (3267).